All,

This may sound very very stupid, but I am trying to justify the need of anything on my workfloor. Working close to China, I got a whole batch of "shifu" that would ask me why we are not adding chillers to all machines. Why are we running our molds comparatively "hot" (I am using 30 degrees tank outlet temperature) when they are used to run with chilling 15/16 degrees water. I have been looking into it for weeks but could not justify the need for extra chiller capacity. I am running 99% PP.

All formulas I have found over the web on mold heat exchange do not take in consideration the water temperature in itself, but the water temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the lubricant. So from my point of view, if I reach turbulent flow, it does not matter if I have 30, or 40 degrees water for my application, right? That's based on the assumption that I am always running the same material and type of resin, no special engineering resin.

(all temps are in C)

Then... why do we need extra chillers? Unless we run specific material, why would anyone run tools at a chilling temperature? I have been through a lot of shops locally and always found tools sweating like crazy (humidity is high here, but why running at below ambient temperature if the heat exchange won't be any better at a few degrees higher?)

Let me know if I am wrong, just needed sanity check.